January 15 | Self-Deception

Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1.22).

Jesus compares his words to seeds and our hearts to types of soil. Just like seeds need to be received and endure a process in the ground to grow and produce fruit, so our spiritual teaching from The Row needs to be received and endure a process in our hearts. Otherwise, as James says, we deceive ourselves when we hear the message but do nothing with it.

We can’t stop at just “head knowledge” and neglect the appropriate time our heart needs to process and reflect on the truth we’ve heard. Further, we can’t stop after processing the truth lest we deceive ourselves by never taking action. We must be willing to listen and receive, but more importantly, “do what it says.”

The seeds of God’s Word must be planted in fertile soil and received with an open heart. The key to making the most of a weekend experience is to take the appropriate action to live out the truth communicated. This leads to this week’s One Big Question . . . When have you immediately put what you heard from a weekend sermon into action? Discuss this question with your small group or a trusted friend.